Maggie Mae

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Update 09/10/2024: “Maggie Mae has a strong focus on the human during training or engaging in an activity. This is a plus for training measures.”

Maggie Mae continues to acclimate extremely well to home life. She really loves being with her human as much as possible. Except for several attempts to counter-surf, her house manners are very good. She responds very well to a gentle, firm “no-no.” Maggie Mae does have a small degree of separation anxiety if left alone in a room while the human spends time elsewhere in the house with the resident dogs. Maggie Mae will scratch the door and whimper. This is easily resolved by using the crate. Upon crating, Maggie Mae patiently waits for her turn.

Maggie Mae continues to be highly trainable. She now sits on command, either via verbal commend or hand signal. She is in the process of learning “down” and “target”. Maggie Mae has a strong focus on the human during training or engaging in an activity. This is a plus for training measures.

Maggie experienced her first trip to the beach recently. She really enjoyed walking on the beach, sniffing the new smells, and greeting everyone on the beach. She was terrific with people and other dogs. If she passed a dog who did not display a friendly greeting, she would back off and return to a “heel” position. Her foster mom really enjoyed walking with Maggie Mae as she was curious about all the new sounds, smells, and beach activity. She was an absolute joy to walk.

This sweet girl is great at feeding time. There is no resource guarding food, bones, or toys. The human can handle the food dish without any issues. Her foster mom has placed a hand into the bowl and Maggie has licked the hand. Maggie gives a big lick to her foster mom when the food bowl is placed down or picked back up. She must be so grateful to have regular meals!

Maggie Mae has had an issue with the one resident male Springer. He has been at fault for charging her and blustering in her face on multiple occasions. Maggie now makes it clear that she does not want him to be near her. Her foster mom worked with a professional trainer to get the two dogs acquainted. Maggie Mae stood and wagged her tail. The resident male was the dog the trainer had to work with. With two people – not just one – handling the dogs for an introduction, Maggie was much more relaxed and stayed right next to her foster mom. Maggie Mae will do best in a home with no other dogs, as she will be more relaxed and not feel the need to defend herself. If there is already a dog in the home, it will be best to use two humans – one per dog with dogs on leash – to manage the initial greetings. Since Maggie Mae really wants to be with the human 24/7, and go everywhere with the human, she will be best served by being the only dog. With her history of not really ever having had a home – just being kept on the peripheral edge as a stray – she deserves the home and attention.

Maggie Mae loves to play. She adores time in the backyard with her human. She will need a home with a large, fenced yard, as she loves to get the zoomies and run. Her foster mom thought at first that Maggie would need a farm-type setting, as Maggie Mae loves to be on-the-go and outdoors as much as possible. However, now that she has bonded with the foster home situation, she also loves the dog bed, sitting with her foster mom on the sofa and being with her as much as possible. Stretched out on the sofa, she lies on her back with her head in her foster mom’s lap. Tummy rubs are high on her list. On walks, her attention is now on enjoying the walk with the human and not just zooming. Maggie Mae will love to be with someone who does go on long walks with her. She will enjoy hiking and in general most activities, including the beach.

Are you willing to give Maggie Mae the home and love she deserves? You will be rewarded immensely by her love and devotion!

Original:  “She runs right up to people, tail wagging and offering licks, then dives into a somersault for a tummy rub”.

Maggie Mae was picked up on the road in North Carolina by a good samaritan. MAESSR was notified  as Maggie Mae appeared to be a Springer mix. Her original owner was contacted through her tab and claimed to have given Maggie away to another home.  That second owner indicated that she ran away from home too much for them to handle. Thus, Maggie wandered the streets until taken into the car by the good samaritan. The good samaritan correctly described Maggie Mae as a great dog – friendly with all people, dogs, and other animals.

Maggie Mae is a high-spirited and very friendly Aussie with possible Springer mix. She been good with all people, all dogs, and even cats and goes into retail stores where she loves to meet and greet. She runs right up to people, tail wagging and offering licks, then dives into a somersault for a tummy rub. She wags her tail at dogs and waits to see if they want to meet her. If they do want to meet her, she is very happy. If they bark and growl at her, she wags her tail and moves on.

Maggie did very well at the groomers and had no problems with their cleaning her ears, handling her paws, and giving her a bath.. Maggie adored her groomer and was very generous with kisses. Home bathing is a different issue. With only one person bathing her and no harness, Maggie jumps out of tub with the zoomies.

She is in the process of being integrated into the pack with the two resident Springers. Maggie Mae is wonderful and just wants to be a part of the household. The older resident Springer has been the problem with transitioning Maggie into the Springer family. To protect Maggie, the Springers have largely been kept in a separate zone. Meet and greets have been highly supervised. Poor Maggie Mae just wants to be accepted.

This love has housetrained very well. She has had no accidents in the house. Maggie has a certain call when she needs her person’s attention to go outside; she heads straight to the door. Maggie has graduated from sleeping in the crate to a dog bed in her room.

She has done no destructive chewing, digging, or other behavior in the house or outside of the house and has no separation anxiety–just a sad look that breaks your heart to leave her. She just learned counter-surfing to lick up crumbs and anything else on counter. Foster Mom has found that Maggie responds very well to “no-no”

Maggie Mae wants to please. She watches the human’s body signals and listens to learn. She is highly trainable and learns quickly. What a smart lady!!

Miss M loves car rides and adventure! She jumps right into the car and rides well in both a crate and harnessed in the back seat. She was given a choice yesterday, and chose the front seat to be next to the driver. A treat re-routed her into the back seat. Maggie is a “travel buddy”.

Maggie was given toys and a chew bone but did not know what to do with these items. For several days everything sat there. Then she saw a resident Springer grab one of their bones and chew. Now she is working on her bone. She is also now learning to grab a toy when she gets the zoomies.

Maggie Mae loves long walks. She becomes very excited to go on a walk. She loves to explore the neighborhood and looks forward to meeting everyone along the way. Everyone stops to pet her Maggie also likes to run and play in the backyard – if the human stays with her. She will stand at the slider door if the human does not stay outside with her. One caution, because Maggie Mae loves to walk, run, explore, and be adventurous, one should  always have the leash firmly in hand when leaving the house and getting Maggie out of the car.

Maggie has learned not to pull on leash while walking.  Within one week, she has learned to walk in a loose heel and has learned a short distance recall on leash. Maggie now responds to her name. “Sit,” “down,” and “target” are  the works  in progress. Learning is a big game to Maggie; thus, it is easy to take advantage of the game play to teach her.

Maggie Mae’s big wish is to be wanted and loved. She needs a home where a human can give her the attention she needs. A busy family always on the go and hardly at home will not be best for Maggie. A family with children or teenagers who could easily let her out of the yard off leash would not be good. Maggie Mae will work well for a one to multiple person household in a home with a large fenced yard in which she can run; tasks and sports to keep her occupied will keep this lively girl happy.

Maggie Mae deserves what she has never had – a human dedicated to giving her loving care. In return, she will be a loyal co-pilot.

Nancy Lewis

nllewis@verizon.net

Edited by

Nancy Hale